Break over hammer



April 10, 1956 c. M. WILLIAMS BREAK OVER HAMMER E Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 26, .w54v

1N VEN TOR. CAPI. M. W/L L /A/" S i TOR/v E7' April 10, 1956 c. M. WILLIAMS 2,741,456

BREAK OVER HAMMER Filed Nov. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 W l /4 38 4309 ,es

37 I i 36 E' 35 33 4 Il -4/ 49 50 .52 W4, I" 4 3 f 4 J3 -/g 40 2/ `52 8 1 0 4 24 IZA 3 4 7 Ela? 36 e7 34 3f 4@ 4a f 55 INVENTOR. 46 f2 AR/ M. WML/AMS Avro RNST United States Patent BREAK OVER HAMMER Carl M. Williams, Modesto, Calif.

Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,159

1 Claim. (Cl. 254-26) This invention relates to improvements in claw hammers and more especially to a claw hammer that can be converted into a break over hammer.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a claw hammer that is provided with means for pulling long nails such as are conventionally pulled by the use of a wrecking bar.

The type of hammer covered by the present invention gives the user thereof a combination which provides a hammer to be used in the usual manner and a wrecking bar, both, in one complete assembly.

ln common practice a carpenter in pulling nails usually encounters a nail that cannot be pulled by the conventional claw hammer, he would therefore need a wrecking bar to pull the nail. Regardless of his care in maintaining his tools at a close distance he always nds that his wrecking bar is not handy. With the hammer of the present invention, all that is necessary is for the carpenter to pull out the break over in the hammer and use the hammer in the same manner as he would use the wrecking bar. Such a tool is especially handy if the carpenter is located on a scatiold and his wrecking bar is on the ground. The use of the hammer of the present invention would therefore save the time lost by descending from the scaffold, picking up the bar, then ascending again to the scaiold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hammer whose weight may be increased by the addition of removable weights in the break over portion of the hammer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a break over hammer that is simple in construction, easy to handle and emcient in operation.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view, partly in elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the hammer embodying this invention;

Fig. 6 is a broken vertical sectional view partly in elevation with the break over portion of the hammer in extended or operative position; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed fragmentary vertical sectional view of the locking mechanism in released position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, the reference numeral 10 designates the hammer embodying the invention. The hammer 10 is provided with a head 11 having an impact or striking portion 12 and a claw portion 13 that is usually found in conventional claw hammers.

ln the present invention, however, the head 11 has a handle 14 formed integral therewith, and a circular cavity 15 is provided in the head 11 for a purpose to be later described.

To enable the hammer to be used in lieu of a wrecking bar a break over 16 is provided. The break over 16 is provided with a cylindrical portion 17 which is slidably mounted in the cavity 15. Integral with the cylindrical portion 1 7 is an arcuate shaped head portion 18, which includes a laterally extending extension 19 which will be received in a recess 20 in the head 11 which is contiguous with and extends laterally of the cavity 15, when the break over 16 is in inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The cylindrical portion 17 of the break over 16 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending bores 21 and 22 which are adapted to receive removable weights whereby the weight of the head 11 may be increased as desired by the operator thereof.

The lower end of the handle 14 is provided with a circular portion 23 which forms an abutment for a hollow tubular gripping portion 24. v

Elongated bolts 25 and 26 are threadably mounted in the portion 23, and extend within the gripping portion Z4 longitudinally thereof to terminate outwardly of the gripping portion 24 to receive nuts 27 whereby the gripping portion 24 is secured in fixed relation to the abutment 23.

The handle 14 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 28 in which is mounted, for sliding movement in relation to the handle 14, a rod 29. rIhe bore 28 communicate with the cavity 15 so that a threaded end 30 of the rod 29 is threadably secured to the break over 16 by means of a similarly threaded bore 31.

The bore 2S also communicates with the hollow gripping portion 24 so that the opposite end of the rod 29 extends into the hollow gripping portion 24.

Extending transversely through the rod 29 is a pin 32 and an expansion spring 33 positioned intermediate of the pin 32 and the abutment 23 will retain the break over 16 in the position shown in Fig. l.

Midway of the gripping portion 24 on the interior thereof there is provided a part of projections 34 and 35 respectively. These projections are in opposed alined relation to each other and support sliding latch members 36 and 37 respectively. The latch members are disposed on opposite sides of the rod 29 in alinetnent with each other and are adapted to extend outwardly of the periphery of the gripping portion 24 by means of slots 38 and 39 formed in the wall of the gripping portion 24 in alinement with each other as shown in Fig. 7.

Each of the latch members 36 and 37 are provided with a slot 4i? which receives the barbed ends 41 of a U-shaped trigger 42.

A guide bar 43 is xed in slots 44 disposed in the wall of the gripping portion 24 intermediate of the latch members 35 and 37 and the extended end of the gripping portion 24. Openings 45 in the guide bar 43 slidably receive and guide the arms of the U-shaped trigger 42.

The trigger 42 is operated by means of a control button 46 which is connected to the medial portion of the trigger 42 by a stem 47 which extends into the gripping portion 24 by means of an opening 48 in the extended end of the gripping portion 24.

The lower end of the rod 29 is provided with relatively spaced rack teeth 49 which pass freely through an opening 50 in the guide bar 43, but will engage the latch member 37 as will be later described.

Positioned on the rod 29 on the side of the rod in opposed relation to the upper or innermost rack tooth is an inverted tooth S1 which supports the inner end of the latch member 36. The inner end of the latch member 37 is .supported by .the upper or innermost rack tooth when the barbed ends 4i of the trigger 42 are in the position shown in Fig. l.

Collars 52 Xed on the arms ot the trigger 42 are engaged by expansion springs 53 and a spring mounted on each arm urges the trigger to the position shown in Fig. '1.

Should the break over become loose or tend to wobble in the head 11 from use, the same will be eliminated by means of a tension spring 54 which is positioned in an angnlarlf.l related bore 5S in the head 11. The bore 55 communicating with the cavity 15 permits the spring tor bear against the cylindrical portion 17 of the break over so that the break over is always prevented from becoming loose in the cavity 15, a threaded slotted plug 56 -in the outer end of the bore 55' serves to tension the spring 54 for the reasons set forth.

When the hammer is to be used in the conventional manner the spring 33 will retain the break over 16 in the position shown in Fig. l.

When it is desired to use the break over in the position shown in Fig. 6, the control button 46 'is moved to the position shown in Fig. 7. The barbed ends 41 of the trigger 42 will enter further into thel openings 40 in the latch members 36 and 37 causing the same to move out- Wardiy of the gripping portion 24 through the slots 38 and 39 in the wail of the gripping portion 24.

This actioncreates suiicient space between the inner ends of the latchmembers 36 and 37 to permit the rack Vteeth 439 and inverted tooth 51 to pass therebetween. By

giving the hammer va slight jerk the break over will be caused to extend outwardly of the head 11 so that it can be grasped by the fingers. The control button 46 can then be released and by reason of the springs 53, the trigger will be' returned to the position shown in Fig. 6. The break over can then be fully extended as shown in Fig. 6

, or it may be moved outwardly into any selected position by Vreason of the engagement of the rack teeth 49 with the inner end of the latch member 37.

ln the position of the break over i6 as shown in Fig. 6 or in any other selected position the hammer will have the same effect in pulling nails as will a Wrecking bar. When it is desired to return the break over to the position of Fig. 1, the control button 46 is again moved to vthe position of Fig. 7 and pressure on the .break .over will move it inwardly until the rack teeth 49 and 51 have cleared the latch members as in Fig. 7. The control button is then released and the hammer will again assume the position of Fig. l.

It is believed that from the foregoing description the operation of the hammer embodying the invention Will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that changes may be made in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim. Y

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as nevi and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

Af hammer having a head having a cavity therein, a hoilovv gripping portion, a handle interconnecting said head and said gripping portion, a break over member slidably mounted in said cavity, a rod affixed to the inner end of said break over and extending slidably through said handle into said gripping portion, a pair of diametrically opposed latch members radially slidable in the Wall of said gripping portion and each having a radially extending slot therein, a U-shaped trigger member longitudinally movable in said gripping portion, barbed .ends for said trivger positioned in said slots, a stem aihxed to said trigger and slidably extending through the outer end of said gripping portion, a control button affixed to the outer end of said stem, rack teeth on the free end portion of said rod and selectively engageable with one of said latch members, an inverted tooth upon said rod in diamenically opposite relation to said teeth and engageabie with the other of said latch members, and spring means in said gripping portion normally urging -said barbed ends out of engagement with the slots in said latch members.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 540,967 Eveleth June 1l, 1895 619,325 Martin Feb. 14, 1899 856,097 Palmer June 4, 1907 1,410,407 Luttrell Mar. 2l, 1922 2,589,046 Brown et al. Mar. 11,1952 

